ToyotaPrevia DX1997Overview/toyota/previa-dx/1997/base/

1997 Toyota Previa DX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Previa DX.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Toyota Previa DX is a minivan built on Toyota’s van platform, requiring 6.1 quarts of engine oil with a recommended viscosity of 10W‑40 or 5W‑30 API grade and paired with a four‑speed automatic transmission. Its EPA‑rated fuel economy stands at 16 mpg city, 20 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined. Owner‑reported issues total 13 complaints, with the engine and cooling system being the most frequent concern, and the model year carries a single recall. This modest complaint count and limited recall place the 1997 DX toward the better‑end of the Previa’s reliability spectrum, indicating a generally dependable example of the line.

Model year19971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.1 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-40 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/20/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHEADOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-65R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter178013502083
Fuel filter2330079285
Spark plug9008091180
Front wiper blades8522228071 alt 8521228091
Serpentine belt909160239283 alt 993647089078
Thermostat9091603120 alt 1632576010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length187 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height70.1 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3759 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 20 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.1 qt of 10W-40 / 5W-30 API engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.2 Pints
Engine Oil10W-40 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity6.1 qt
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity2.7 Pints

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.36-.55 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9000-15,400 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F
Optional BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 na ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12-16 na ohms
Engine Oil Pressure36 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket27 ft-lbs / 18 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0028 in / 0.0039 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.984 in / 0.866 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.984 in / 0.866 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.906 in / 0.787 in / 0.65 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Supercharger Assembly (inspect fluid condition)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1997 Toyota Previa DX dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 4 of 13 reports (31%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
51
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
13
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 13 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling4
Vehicle Speed Control2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Vehicle Speed Control1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Vehicle Speed Control1
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Unknown Or Other1
Tires1
Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

97V056000Power Train:Driveline:Differential UnitReported 04/04/1997

DUE TO A CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL SEPARATOR PLATE AND THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING OF THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT, OIL LEAKAGE AT THE AIR BREATHER PLUG CAN OCCUR, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY ABOVE 75 MILES… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MODIFIED AIR BREATHER PLUG TO PREVENT SUCH OIL LOSS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 51 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Toyota Safety Re2021-03-17Air BagsToyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Previa DX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Previa DX take?

6.1 qt of ABOVE 10 degrees F: 10W-40 API, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30 API STARBURST, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Previa DX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Previa DX get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 20 highway / 17 combined mpg.